Electric time-switch.



No. 727,578. PATBNTED MAY 12,190.35 W. 0. BLUNDBLL & 0. r: BLROWERQ ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH. APPLIQATIOH IILED AUG. 1L9 1902.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. BLUNDELL AND .O ADY F. 'BROWER, on KANSAS CITY,

MISSOURI; SAID BROWER AssIoNoRTo MA-RY R .-*BLUNDELL, OF.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC TIM E- SWITC $PEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,578, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed August 19,1902.

Serial No. 120,1'l 7l (No model.)

To all 11171 0112, it may concern.

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. BLUN- DELL and OADYF. BROWVER, citizens of the United States, residing at Kansas (Jity, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricTime-SWitch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

Our invent-ionrelates to electric switches, and more especially to that class in which mechanism is employed for operating the switch at a predetermined time; and our ob jeot is to produce an electric ti me-switch which operates effic iently and reliably, which can be readily disposed in or removed from an electric-light circuit, and which is of simple, strong, durable, compact, and cheap construction.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction andorganization, as hereinafter describedand claimed, and in order thatit may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of an electric time switch to close or open the circuit in which it is located. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken "on the line II II of'Fig'. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showing the relation between the time and switchmechanisms.

In the said drawings, where like parts in all the figures are identified by corresponding reference characters, 1 designates a wallbracketor other support, 2 the shelf thereof, and 3 a block or step upon the shelf. Secured to the under side of shelf 2 is a pair of electric switches, each consisting of the insulated post 4, the depending post or posts 5, and the depending knife contactor contacts 6, provided with the usual insulatory handle 8. These switch-posts and contacts form apart of the conductor A of an electric circuit. (Not shown.)

Erected upon the block or step 3 at different distances from the back or wall of the bracket is a pair of posts 9, and arranged inward and rearward of each post and in longitudinal alinement therewith are guide-loops 10 and 11, the latter considerably exceeding the former in height. 1

12 designates a pair of slideebars, one extending through each set of guide-loops and provided with a longitudinal slot 13, through which the contiguous post 9 projects,said slot being widened at its rear end, so as to provide a narrow rearWardly-disposed shoulder 14; for engagement with the front edge of the postfas shown clearly in Fig. 2. Each slidebar near its rear end is provided with a horizontal cylindrical socket15 and opposite the post with an inclined face 16, which slopes downwardly and toward the post. A pair of springs 17, secured to the back or wall of the bracket, have their free ends pressing against the bars andholdingthe latter with a yielding pressure against the posts, so that when the shoulders of the bars are engaged with the posts, as shown in Fig. 2, positive pressure against the bars inopposition to and greater-than that of the springs must be employed to force the former bodily toward the back or wall of the bracket, and thereby trip said shoulders from engagement with the posts.-

18 designates a pair of levers pivoted loosely on the upper'en'ds of the posts 9, so as to have a slight lateral movement or play and have their rear ends projecting through guideloops 11 and terminating in depending horizont-ally-arranged pivot-heads 19, engaging the cylindrical sockets 15, so as to operate in the latter in a vertical plane. The front end of each lever, which is preferably of metal,

is enlarged or otherwise weighted, as at 20,

and the foremost terminates ina perforated lug 21, through which extendsslidinglythe upper end of a tie-rod 22, said tie-rod near its upper end being formed with a shoulder 23 to receive the impact of lug2l as itslever swings downward in a manner hereinafter explained. The lower end of the tic-rod is pivotally connected to the clip or band 24:, secured upon the handle of the switch-lever at the contiguous end of the bracket. A similar clip or band 24 is mounted on the other switch-lever handle and'is pivotally connected to the rear end of the rearmost slide-bar by the link 25.

Secured upon the shelf in any suitable or preferred manner is a pair of time mechanisms, preferably in the form of alarm-clocks 26, one being located with the rear or handle end of its alarm-winding shaft about in the vertical plane of and opposite the post 9. Each clock 26, from which the bell is preferably removed, has upon the outer end of its alarm-shaft 27 a comparatively long crankhandle 28 in lieu of the small handle usually employed, and said crank-handle is provided with an arm 29, to whichis pivotally attached one end of a reciprocatory push-bar 30, said push -bar near its opposite end extending through a guide-loop 81, secured to block or step 3 and having its free end bent to form a shoulder 32 approximately paralleling the inclined face 16 of the contiguous slide-bar for a purpose which hereinafter appears.

This mechanism when arranged with the parts as shown in full lines, Fig. 1, and with the rearmost time mechanism adjusted for operation before the companion mechanism is adapted to automatically complete the circuit by elevating the rearmost switch-lever until it engages its switch contact or contacts 6, as shown by dotted lines, and then break the circuit by throwing the other switch-lever out of contact with its contact or contacts 6. Assuming, for instance, that the parts are as shown in full lines and that the rearmost alarm is adjusted to go off at seven p. m. and the other alarm to go off at eleven p. m., it will be apparent that at the first-named hour the crank-handle of the rearmost clock will operate in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig. 3, the result being push-bar 30 is forced against the surface 16 of the corresponding slide-bar and the latter moved against the resistance of its spring 17 until its shoulder is tripped from engagement with the post. Immediately this occurs the lever swings to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and thereby raises the rear end of its slidebar and through the medium of link 25 throws the connected switch-lever in engagement with its knife contact or contacts. The circuit being thus completed, the lamps (not shown) are instantly lighted. At eleven p. m. the alarm mechanism of the other clock goes off and in the manner-described trips its bar 12 from engagement with the companion post to permit the other lever to operate in the manner described, and through the medium of link-rod 22 force the connected switchlever from engagement with its contact or contacts to break the circuit and instantly tact or contactsthat is to say, the weighted end of the lever swings downward upon rod 22 with practically no resistance until lug 21 strikes shoulder 23whereas if the frictional stantly withdraw from frictional engagement with the advancing push-bar. If the contactsurface were vertical instead of as shown, there would be a certain amount of frictional resistance offered to the lever operation by the push-bar, because movement of the latter continues until arrested by the Opposing post, before which time the slide-bar has been elevated by the operation of the Weighted lever, as will be readily understood. To restore the parts to their original positions, the weighted ends of the levers are thrown upward, which movement advances the slidebars, and then the latter are moved bodilyin a lateral direction by the springs 17 until their shoulders 14 are again engaged with the front edges of the posts, this adjustment being preceded by the return of the push-bars to their original positions. Such return is efiected by swinging the crank-handles back to the position shown in Fig. 3, and in this connection it will be noticed that the short movement of the push-bar prohibits more than a slight unwinding of the alarm-shaft spring (not shown) and that the rewinding of the spring is necessarily incident to the return of the push-bars to their original positions. The springs therefore never become unwound, the alarms being reset by the proper adjustment of the push-bars.

Where the apparatus is desired simply as a means of cutting lamps out of circuit, only a single switch and its companion mechanism are necessary-namely, the mechanism for throwing the switch out of circuit-as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1. Where it is desired to cut lamps in circuit, the other switch and its companion mechanism may be employed. The consumer, such as a merchant who desires his store illuminated-automatically at a certain hour and the lights extinguished automatically at a later hour, will employ the entire apparatus, the operation of which has been hereinoefore explained.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced an electric time-switch mechanism which embodies the feature of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention, and while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that it is susceptible of change as regards its form, proportion, detail construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from its essential spirit and scope or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electric time-switch mechanism,comprising an electric switch, a lever for automatic operation when unresisted, a slide-bar connected to said lever, means to hold said slide-bar advanced and the lever with one end elevated, means for tripping said slidebar from the means which holds it advanced, and a connection whereby the operation of the lever operates the switch.

2. An electric time-switch mechanism,comprising an electric switch, a lever for automatic operation when unresisted, a slide-bar connected to said lever, means to hold said slide-bar advanced and the lever with one end elevated, time-operated mechanism for tripping said slide-bar from the means which holds it advanced, and a connection whereby the operation of the lever operates the switch.

3. Anelectrictime-switch mechanism,comprising an electric switch, a lever for automatic operation when unresisted, a slide-bar connected to said lever, means to hold said slide-bar advanced and the lever with one end elevated, a time-operated push-bar to engage and trip the slide-bar from the means which holds it advanced, and a connection whereby the operation of the lever operates the switch.

4. An electrictime-switchmechanism,comprising an electric switch, a lever for automatic operation when unresisted, a slide-bar connected to said lever, means to hold said slide-bar advanced and the lever with one end elevated, a time-operated shaft, a crank handle mounted thereon, a push-bar operatcd from said crank-handle and adapted as the shaft operates to engage and trip said slidebar from the means which holds it advanced, and a connection whereby the operation of the lever operates the switch.

5. An electric time-switch mechanism, comprising an electric switch, a lever for automatic operation when unresisted, a slide-bar connected to said lever, and adapted to operate vertically with the latter, a guide-loop for the rear end of the slide-bar and lever, means to hold said slide-bar advanced and the lever with its advanced end elevated, means for tripping said slide-bar from the means which holds it advanced, and a connection whereby the operation of the lever operates the switch.

6. Anelectrictime-switchmechanism,comprising a post, a slide-bar suitably guided and provided with a shoulder engaging said post, a lever pivoted upon said post and pivotally connected rearward thereof to the slide-bar, and having its forward end tending to swing downward so as to hold said shoulder yieldingly against said post, a switch, and a connection whereby the switchlever is operated by the'operation of the first-named lever.

7.- An electric ti nae-switch mechanism, comprising a post, a slide-bar suitably guided and provided with a shoulder engaging said post, a spring to prevent accidental lateral movement of the barwhich wouldeffect adislocation of the shoulder from the post, a lever pivoted upon said post and pivotally connected rearward thereof to the slide-bar, and having its forward end tending to swing downward so as to hold said shoulder yieldingly against said post, a switch, and a con-' 7 nection whereby the switch-lever is operated by the operation of the first-namedlever.

8. An electric time-switch mechanism,com-

9. An electric time-switch mechanism, com

prising a post, a slide-bar suitably guided and provided with a shoulder engaging said post, a spring to prevent accidental lateral movement of the bar which would effect a dis location of the shoulder from the post, 'a lever pivoted upon said post and pivotally connected rearward thereof to the slide-bar, and having its forward end tending to swing downward so as to hold said shoulder yieldingly against said post, a switch, a connection whereby the switch-lever is operated by the operation of the first-named lever, and means to move the slide-bar laterally and trip its shoulder from the post.

'10. An electric time-switch mechanism,

comprising an electric switch, a lever for automatic operation when unresisted and connected to operate said switch, a slide-bar connected to said lever, means to hold said slidebar advanced and the lever with one end elevated, and means for tripping said bar from the means which holds it advanced.

11. An electric time switch mechanism,

comprising alever for automatic operation when nnresisted, time-operated means to free said lever at the time desired, an electric switch, and a connection whereby the operation of said lever shall operate the switchlever.

12. An electric time-switch mechanism, 7

said lever at the desired time, an electric connected to the lever to permit the latter to switch, and a rod linking said lever to the attain a momentum before it strikes said switch-lever. shoulder and operates the switch.

13. An electric time-switch mechanism, In testimony whereof We affix our signa- 5 comprising a lever for automatic operation tures in the presence of two Witnesses.

when nnresisted, time-operated means to free WILLIAM C. BLUNDELL. said lever at the desired time, an electric CADY F. BROVVER.

G. Y. THORPE, F. G. FISCHER.

switch, and a rod connected to the switch- Witnesses: 1o ingthat portion beyond the shoulderslidingly I 

